Improvement in seeding-cultivators



S. D. TRACY. Revolving Harrow.

Patented Dee. 27, 1859.

inventor,

Amgpnorq-Lrruo. su. Nar. msmnz's monies.)

NrTnD STATES ATENT rigen.

SAMUEL D. TRACY, OF VERNON CENTRE; NEW YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 26,630, dated December27, 1859.

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL D. TRACY, of Vernon Centre, in the county ofOneida and State ot'NewYork, have invented anew and Improved Pulverizerand Broadcast Seed-Sower; fand I do hereby declare that the following isa full and exact description thereof', reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part ot` this specilication Figure l beinga plan of the machine; Fig. 2, a plan of the under side thereof; Fig. 3,a longitudinal vertical section thereof in the plane indicated by theline x m, Figs. l and 2; Fig. 4., a section of a part detached, theplane of section being indicated by the line y y, Fig. l; Fig. 5, asection of a part detached, the plane of' section being indicated by thelinezz, Fig. 1.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The working parts ofthe machine are mounted in a rectangular frame, A,to the front of which is secured a shaft or tongue, B, for drawing themachine. The ground is pulverized and the seed covered by means oi' setsof knii'e or spur wheels O C, arranged side by side, and turning freelyon axes a a. These spur-wheels are formed with hubs b b, of sufficientlength to give them steadiness ot' inotion and keep them at properdistances apart. The radial blades or spurs c c ot' each Wheel are soset that each alternate blade or spur inclines on one side and eachintermediate blade or spur inclines on the opposite side of the centralplane ot' the wheels motion, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Thus the actionof the blades or spurs c c as they revolve, being turned ont of avertical plane, is such as to pulverize the soil to a much wider extenton each side and much more thoroughly than if they were arranged all inone plane.

A set of movable cutters, D D, is used in connection with the iront setot' spur-wheels, being secured at the top to a rockshaft, E, as shownmost clearly in Figs. l and 3. A lever or handle, F, is connected withthe rock-shaft E or with one ot' the cutters D D by a pivotedconnectingbar, d, or its equivalent, so that by moving the handleforward the cutters will be thrown forward and raised away from theground, as shown by the red lines in Fig. 3. The handle may be held inthis position by a catch or button, f, situated behind it, or in anyother convenient manner. The cutters are embraced in slotted supports gg, which are situated about midway ot' the length ot' the cutters, andagainst the rear ends of which the said cutters bear when they arelowered to thegronnd. The edges of the cutters are sharp, so as to cutlarge clods or turt's that would otherwise obstruct the action ot themachine. When the cutters are lowered they are constantly kept clearedof sods and other obstructions by ythe spur-wheels, and, on the otherhand, they serve to clear the spur-wheels of obstructions at all times.

The seed-box is secured to the under side of a hinged seat, G, for thedrivers use, in a position above and about midway between the two setsot' spur-wheels G O, so that the rear set of the latter serves to coverthe seeds.

Transversely in the under side ot' each end ot the seat G is made adovetail groove, It, or its equivalent, Figs. 4 and 5, in which iits acorresponding tongue, t", of the seed-box H. Slots 7c 7c, of sufficientlength to allow'any necessary amount of adjustment forward or backwardot the seed-box, are made respectively in each end of the seat G,covering the tongues :i t' ot' the seed-box, and through these slotspass tightening-screws Z I, whereby the seed-box may be secured in anydesirable position for varying the depth to which the seeds are buriedby the spur-wheels, according as they fall farther forward or backwardbeneath said wheels. By taking out the screws l l the seed-b0X can beremoved from the machine when desired. In order to regulate the supplyof seed i'rom the seed-box, parallel brushes p p are located therein,extending the whole length thereof, substantially as represen ted inFig. 3. One ot' these brushes is adjustable toward and from the otherbrush by means of a thumb-screw, r, or its equivalent. Thus the supplyot' .seed may be increased or diminished, as desired.

ln the bottom of the seed-box H, and below the brushes p p, is located avibratory seedA distributer, l, Fig. 3, being hinged at each endthereof'. This consists of a long spout formed of two nearly parallelsides or lips, s s, so ari ranged in connection with the bottom t ot'the seed-box that when held back by springs mm the outlet for the seedsis closed; but by pushin g the distributer forward the outlet is openedand allows the seeds to fall through. The forward vibrations of thedistributer may be produced by the ends ofthe blades or spurs ofthe rearset of spur-wheels striking against it in quick succession, the spring mm as quickly returning the vibrations. This rapid vibratory motion ofthe seed-distribnter thus produced gives a rting motion to the seedbackward and forward as itis discharged, thereby spreading it evenly onthe ground.

The seat G can be raised, and with it the seed-box H, when the machineis in operation by means of a lever or handle, K, pivoted to the side ofthe frame under the seat, and this handle may be held down by a button,u, above it,l or -in any convenient manner.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. Giving the zigzag or alternate opposite inelinationsto the blades ofthe spur-wheels O C, in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination of the movable or ad justable cutters D D and theirslotted supports gg with the zigzag spur-wheels C C, in the manner andfor the purposes herein specified.

3. The arrangement of the seed-box Hin grooves in the under side of thehinged seat G, so as to be adjustable beneath it, removable therefrom,0rturned up therewith snbstantiall y as herein described.-

4. The vibrating seed-distribnter I, constructed, operated, andoperating substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

InA witness that the above is a true specification of my improvedpulverizer and broadcast-sower I hereunto set my hand this 18th day ofJuly, 1859.

SAMUEL n. TRACY.

Witnesses:

S. ToWNsLY, G. PARDEE.

